


Technical Difficulty

by faeriegirl143



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Computer Viruses, Computer nerds, Demons, M/M, Supernatural Elements, Video & Computer Games, chatrooms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-13 16:38:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12988113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faeriegirl143/pseuds/faeriegirl143
Summary: A loner who lives pretty much online in chatrooms and video games, meets a strange person online who will change his whole world, not for the better.ORCyber-nerd Louis Tomlinson meets a demon disguised as a computer virus using the body of Harry Styles. As their relationship gets stronger, strange things start to happen as the demon focuses on stealing Louis' soul to get even more powerful.~~~~This is my first solo work alone! Tell me what you think :) And it will be more than one chapter!KIKashers198235emailxsignofthetimesx@yahoo.com





	1. Chapter 1

Maybe it was for the better that Louis had no friends. He would race home from school every afternoon and head straight for his room to boot up his laptop. It was a sad life, his mother was a social butterfly and was constantly chattering at their round kitchen table with a few friends while drinking wine, while Louis brushed past them, ignoring his mom’s calls of him being a good host and saying hi - he didn’t invite them over, she did, why did he have to endure their fake greetings and compliments just to make her happy - as he grabbed a Pepsi and bag of chips then returned to where he felt safe, his room. 

Even with the door closed, he could hear the cackling of the women in the kitchen as they gossiped about their significant others - his mom, though, had nobody, just a handful of boyfriends she seemed to go through like wet kleenex. None lasted very long and he was counting down until spring when he would graduate and be free. His biological father had stayed in touch through e-mails, texts, and visits, when Jay would allow it, as Jay sometimes played the drama card and spun a tale of Mark being abusive and an alcoholic and she simply couldn’t have it so she’d asked him to leave, when in reality, Mark had had enough of Jay’s constant need to go out with friends, despite having a baby to take care of. It started off as a long legal battle, but Jay, apparently knew all the right people and was granted custody of Louis. It was like she couldn’t do any wrong, everybody was naive to her incompetence. Mark chose to stuck by and drop in unannounced hoping to catch Jay in the act. He was trying to be casually vindictive without giving himself away, though Jay wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box.

After texting Mark that he was home and it was alright to pop in whenever, Lous set his phone on the desk and hovered hands over the keyboard. He was a wiz at multi-tasking, but what did he want to do first? The loud laughter from the kitchen interrupted his thoughts and answering the question for him as he attached his phone to his speakers then opened his music app to select a random song, the volume increasing as he swiped his finger across the screen. Nobody would notice in the kitchen, they’d either put on their own music to drown Louis’ out or talk louder, they were too busy in their own little world and would be until they were either talked out or got hungry enough to venture to their own homes for dinner. Jay would most likely order pizza or Chinese, she never got the hang of cooking and Louis ate very little. He was too infatuated with his computer games and chatting to do anything else, often forgetting to set his alarm and oversleep. Thank god for open campus.

Logging into his usual chatroom, Louis scrolled through the list of people then the screen names as they flew by on the box, looking for any name that seemed familiar. He was a regular in the chatroom, knew quite a few people by screen name alone and always felt welcomed when they’d pop out and yell his name. But none of them were on, so Louis decided just to start randomly typing in the room and if after ten minutes, nobody replied, he would log off and play Sims. It was a rarity that today, Louis got into an in-depth discussion with someone involving Netflix and their favorite movies or shows to watch when he noticed someone named styles94 enter the room. Without waiting for a prompt from the new user, Louis typed a hello directed to them, then waited for a response, continuing the conversation with the other user for the time being. When styles94 left the room without bothering to answer, Louis rolled his eyes. Figured, the person had to be one of those people with the flashy screen names, probably a shallow girl with her eyes on finding a sugar daddy in a chatroom. He knew those kinds, been bombarded by those kinds - which made him change his screen name from kingtommo to tommo, less private messages from needy girls and more people asking if his name was Tom, even if the name space of his profile clearly stated it started with an L. Louis wasn’t stupid, his information wasn’t going up anywhere a person on the Internet could find it and his computer was protected by the latest software. His own uncle, father’s brother as it seemed Jay’s own family had abandoned her even before Louis had been born, was well-versed in all things technology and taught his nephew everything he knew, but Louis’ brain wasn’t equipped for that information and he’d lost it soon afterwards, only retaining some that Uncle Devin made sure to drill into his head.

“Lous! Your father is here to get you.” 

Blinking, Louis didn’t realize he’d been staring at the screen waiting for the name to pop up again. Turning head, he looked at his door, mouth open ready to yell a reply back, when out of the corner of his eye, something dark zoom back under the door, or was that a trick of the light? He gazed out the window facing the East, the sunset was barely seen as the day had been cloudy and threats of rainstorms had made the air feel sticky and heavy on one's skin. Shuddering slightly from an odd chill that crept up his spine, Louis logged out from the chatroom and toed on his shoes then went to the front door to greet his father. 

"Son, I'd like you to meet Des and Harry Styles. They're my new neighbors"


	2. NOT A CHAPTER, SORRY!

I'm extremely happy that someone actually commented and sent kudos on this as I wasn't sure it'd be liked. So, would you guys like me to continue?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis and Harry meet.. DUN DUN DUN!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update yay!!!! Thank you for the people reading this and chiming in with wanting me to continue!
> 
> I'm _trying_ to make it suspenseful. Is it working??

It was like something snapped when Louis shifted blue eyes to stare at the two new people, catching the eyes of the youngest of the two first. The brilliant green with flecks of yellow drew Louis in, the pupil seeming to dilate the longer Louis stared until he shook his head. Weirdly, it felt like a string had been snapped and the pulling motion was gone, nothing but a distant tingle down his spine like the feeling was returning to it. The two were strangers, but something was awfully familiar about the boy. Neither pinged of danger as Louis stepped outside to join the three on the stoop. It wasn't a big enough space, Louis making himself as tiny as possible, tucking elbows into his sides as he offered a stiff hand to the men. 

“Louis, they're my new neighbors and I invited them to dinner with us tonight. What are you in the mood for?” Mark stepped off the cement to give the other three room. Des mirrored Mark, leaving the younger two standing next to each other as Louis slowly let himself relax, flexing his wrists. Being in too confined a space made him edgy. He stole a side look at the one called Harry, only to see the younger male staring back at him. An unflattering `eep` came out and Louis stepped off to the grass and around the two dads to head onto the sidewalk, pretending to be staring up at the sky. He didn’t dare look back, he’d already embarrassed himself with that noise and he was done for.

Or so he thought, the four headed for the car and Louis realized with impending horror that he’d be stuck in the backseat with the younger man, or were they taking separate vehicles? Wait. How did the two get here? Looking up, Louis silently pleaded to whatever deity was up there, that he’d seen his dad’s truck and another vehicle parked by the curb. Nope. It was just his dad’s black Ford. Damnit. Unless..

“Dad, can I drive? I haven’t driven your truck in forever!” Louis patted himself on the back for the quick thinking. It wasn’t like Mark babied the hell out of the truck and probably spent more money on it than he did on Louis, but Mark was very possessive of the vehicle and rarely let Jay drive it. Jay, being spiteful, would take off in it as often as she could, just to see the lovely colors Mark’s face turned when she returned, as she usually just took a spin around the block, and she hated the truck. Claimed she was too short and Mark always had the seat shoved so far back. 

Mark thought for a second then looked at Des, the two adults conversing silently. “Sure, Lou. Harry, go ahead and sit up front with him. Your dad and I will be in the back having our own conversation.” He held out the keys to his son, who was silently fuming. That hadn’t worked out how he wanted it! Awkward! “We’re going to Fuddruckers by the way.” 

Of course they were, sports bar. Never did Mark pass up an opportunity to watch something on the big screen, even if he had a perfectly good television at home it wasn't the same and you know it. Maybe because Mark was lonely and hadn’t been on a date in a thousand years, or however long they’ve been separated, Louis didn’t keep track, but he knew maybe he should interfere and play matchmaker before Mark became a permanent bachelor and wasted away his life on beer and sports. 

As soon as Louis was behind the wheel, he started the truck, listening to the soothing purr of the diesel engine. He loved that sound. The truck door opening jolted him and the radio that had currently been playing was a jumbled mess as Harry climbed into the seat next to him and went to turn the volume down on the radio just as Louis reached for it. Their hands brushed and Louis gave a gasp, his pupils dilating like they’d done earlier as garbled images and a weird hissing noise took over his body for a split second then it was gone, so was Harry’s hand. He was about to turn to the passenger when Mark and Des slid into the truck and Louis turned around to click his seat belt and put the vehicle in drive.

“Why does it smell like rotten eggs in here?” Mark sniffed loudly then picked up each foot to see if he’d stepped in something. 

As soon as Mark said something, the smell hit Louis full force. Crinkling up nose, he made a gagging noise then checked his own shoes then pushed the button for the automatic windows to go down. It was vile, wherever the smell was coming from. Of course, being a young, teenage boy, Louis could only think of one solution for where the smell came from, but couldn’t see himself blurting it in front of strangers. First impression and all. Well, second, the first had been whatever horrid noise Louis had emitted in Harry’s presence. Maybe it was a mating call? His body telling him first that it thought Harry was good-looking and Louis better do something? He needed to quit thinking.

It was silent the drive over, save for more thoughts rolling around in Louis’ head as he argued with himself that yes, in fact, Harry was attractive, but he learned the hard way attractive guys only give you attention if they’re in dire need of something or lost a bet. That was his homecoming, Louis had wanted to switch schools after this, but his mom had insisted he had just half a year left and he’d be done. He could do it. Couldn’t he? Louis maybe had a couple friends, but neither had been over to his house, or him over to theirs so were they actually acquaintances? Without realizing it, Louis made a humming noise under his breath, contemplating what he just said and not noticing Harry staring at him from the corner of his eye until a large hand reached out to grab the wheel and gently steer the vehicle back into its own lane. 

“Oops! Thank you.” His face was heating up as he sat up straighter to actually look like he was paying attention to the road and not trying to kill everyone in the truck. Peering into the rearview to catch his dad’s eye, but Mark was busy chattering with Des, or at least a creature who looked like Des. His eyes bulged when he saw the thing sitting beside his dad, Des, or the person in the backseat impersonating the man, caught Louis’ eye in the rearview mirror and Louis would swear on his favorite pair of pajama pants that it hissed at him. Opening mouth to say something, a thud was heard when a rock bounced off the windshield, making Louis apply the brake to slow down so no more pebbles went flying at the glass then he looked back. It was Des and Mark in the backseat again. 

“Louis, your dad tells me you’re graduating this year?” Desmond asked. Louis was afraid to look in the mirror, just in case that creature decided to appear again. Counting to ten silently, he raised eyes to the mirror, hand going up to adjust it. Still humans in the backseat. Was he imagining this shit? Not enough sleep, too much computer time, the screen was poisoning his brain. OR he really needed to quit watching and playing supernatural games? 

Louis gave a nod then looked away to pull into the parking lot of the strip mall Fuddruckers was located in and slowed down to a crawl, trying to find a place not too far from the restaurant. But with it being the weekend and people also being lazy bitches, Louis found spot way in the back. So much for not wanting to walk that far. 

Des climbed out of the truck from directly behind Louis and threw an arm around the boy like it was his own son. A faint whiff of sulfur invaded his nose then was gone as Des flashed him a grin of straight white teeth. “My boy is opening a shop here. How about you go to work for him?” He reached out to grab his kid with his free arm, pulling him close, much to Louis’ chagrin when Harry had the gall to blush and give an embarrassed sounding “daaaaaaaaad”.

“What? You need workers and you know next to nobody here. It’s pure gold we ran into someone with a kid around your age.” Releasing Louis, Des pointed at his son then at the SPACE FOR RENT sign a few doors down from Fuddruckers. “Convenient location but Harry wasn’t impressed. He chose one in the trendy part of town, as he calls it,” Des had done the hand quotes and everything when saying it, fondly rolling eyes at his son. 

Huffing, Harry pushed Des’s arm off his shoulder. “I chose the location because it spoke to me, dad. You wouldn’t understand, you’re too old.” It wasn’t meant as an insult as a smile played with the ends of Harry’s lips. The two were fighting like friends, Louis wished he had that type of relationship with his father, that he could call him pal and hang out, but once a loner, always a loner and his dad had more friends than he did. 

Not saying a word until they were in the restaurant, Louis found a booth for the four of them in the far corner and slid in, wanting to be next to the wall and as far away from Harry as possible, even if his body was protesting every last bit. To his surprise, Harry slid in next to him and gave a toothy grin then picked up a menu to skim through it, green eyes looking over the selections. There were so many things Louis could start a conversation up with, but he chose to bury face behind his own menu and wallow in self pity. Chicken shit.

Every opportunity that seemed to fall in his lap was ignored or came at a bad time as Louis had his mouth full or was already deep in conversation with his dad. At some point, Louis turned to Harry to say something, but the curly haired one had slipped out of the booth on his way to the bathroom, ruining the chance. Pouting slightly, Louis had finished his food and was silently pushing his straw in and out of the lid, making that annoying seal barking noise that both dads did the simultaneous shake of their head and stern look to make Louis stop. Blinking at both of them, a shit-eating grin slid across his face as he started making the straw move faster and faster, the noise getting louder and louder until a big hand came out and grabbed the whole cup away. 

“Hey! That’s my cup.” Louis reached his hand out for it, but it was now being held hostage above Harry’s head. And there was no way he’d be able to reach it as the curly-haired one had the height advantage and Louis just had to be made fun-sized. “Please? I won’t make the noise again!” And did he feel stupid for being seventeen years old and having to beg for his drink back from a man older than him? Yes. 

Harry only shook his head and kept the cup raised up, “No, I don’t believe you. I shall hold onto this cup until we’re in the truck.” He gave Louis a wink then plopped back into the seat, the cup placed on the edge of the table where Louis couldn’t reach from his current placement. “And don’t even think about it.” Louis froze, body hunched over to bite the arm that was closest to him. Sitting upright, he glared at Harry then turned to face the dads, who weren’t even paying attention to what was going on. 

His impatience was his downfall as they weren’t in a hurry to leave. The dads ordered a beer each since Louis was the one driving, they decided to indulge a little bit. Lous’ jealous flared when Harry also decided to order a beer, flashing his ID at the smaller male when he demanded it, unable to do the math in his head fast enough. Harry laughed and joked about ordering Louis a Shirley Temple, earning narrowed eyes and a soft growl to emit from him. He didn’t think it was that funny.

A few times did the notion of leaving the three behind and jumping in the truck and just driving off went through his mind, but he knew that would just result in Mark yelling at him and then telling Jay who would also yell at him then nag about it for the next seventy years, she never let anything go because of some incident Louis may have done as a child, but to this day won’t take credit to, blaming it all on his invisible friends. So for now he had to sit and sullenly drink refill after refill of his Cherry Coke, his bladder getting fuller and fuller as the three continued to drink.

“Oh shit, Lou. Harry was going to show us where his new store was going to be! Better get going!” Mark looked at his watch then gulped down the last two sips of his beer, the other two doing the same, though Harry did it more daintily and Louis swore the man held a pinky out while doing so. “Gotta hit the head though before we take off.”

Louis nodded and reached out to nudge Harry to get him to scoot off, when he got light headed, the restaurant darkening as he heard weird chanting in the distance and nothing but black all around him. Owlishly, Louis looked around, his head the only thing he was able to move as he listened to the voices getting louder and louder - 

“Louis! Did you need out?” His hand was still hovering in mid-air from where he’d touched Harry lightly on the back. He licked over his lips and shimmed across the seat to his feet and took off after Mark to the bathroom. Nope, he was never showing his face around the two ever again.

Remaining quiet the rest of the trip, Louis took note of where the store was, wanting to maybe return to it later, while heavily disguised that is, then dropped Des and Harry off at what he figured was Des’s home. Since it was the weekend, Louis opted to head to Mark’s and stay, he didn’t need to swing back home for anything, as he kept stuff at his dad’s place for such a reason, and was slowly moving more in as he had plans to move in with him after graduation. 

The two were silent the whole ride home and it wasn’t until they were both heading for their own rooms that Mark spoke up. “I hope you had fun tonight, son. Harry seems like a good kid and you don’t have very many friends, so I was trying to nudge him your way,” 

Louis’ eyebrows shot up. Mark knew about Louis’ sexual orientation. Was the man trying to play cupid for the two? He shook his head at his father and wished him a goodnight before closing the door to his room, not bothering to turn on the lights as he collapsed tiredly into the un-made bed as a dark mist swept into the room from under the crack in the door and began to form a shape, a slow hissing noise as it got closer and closer to the sleeping form then completely bypassed it and was gone, the laptop sitting on the desk in the corner of the room making a beep.


End file.
